VOL.

49 ISSUE 2 · 2020

《中国人大》对外版
National People’s Congress of China

2020 NPC Session

The Third Session of the 13th
National People’s Congress
kicks off at the Great Hall of the
People on May 22. Bi Nan
2 NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa
ISSUE 2 · 2020 3
6 President Xi and the people

Contents
2020 NPC Session 14 27
Special period, innovative gathering Unique advantages
6
President Xi and the people Civil Code: A Milestone 29
Main tasks for the coming months
12 18
Chinese leaders attend delib-
erations at annual legislative
Civil Code, better protecting people's
legitimate rights and interests
32
China to advance modernization of
session
20 judicial system

13 Decades efforts to enact Civil Code

Vitality of Chinese democracy
never more evident
33
24 China expects positive GDP growth
despite pandemic impacts
Five key points to understand Civil

34
Code

Spotlight Calling for international cooperation to

tide over darkest hours
26
China firm on achieving development 36
goals for 2020 Answering concerns, sharing stories

4 NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa

 38 Law on safeguarding national
security in Hong Kong adopted

14 Special period, innovative gathering

20 Decades efforts to enact Civil Code

ISSUE 2 · 2020

Deputies

44 VOL.49 ISSUE 2 June 2020

Doctors on the frontline of the
COVID-19 battle bring proposals to
Administrated by General Office of the Standing
Two Sessions Committee of National People’s Congress

Chief Editor: Wang Yang

Focus General Editorial
National Security Legislation Office Address: 23 Xijiaominxiang,

46
Xicheng District Beijing
100805,P.R.China

38 Immediately stop interfering in

China’s internal affairs
Tel: (86-10)5560-4181
(86-10)6309-8540
Law on safeguarding national security E-mail: zgrdnpc@npc.gov.cn
in Hong Kong adopted
ISSN 1674-3008
CN 11-5683/D

42 COVER: The Third Session of the 13th

One Country, Two Systems policy
safeguards Hong Kong’s prosperity
and stability
National People’s Congress kicks off at
Price: RMB 35
Edited by The People’s Congresses Journal
the Great Hall of the People on May 22. Published by The People’s Congresses Journal
Yao Dawei
Printed by Beijing Zhong Ke Printing Co., Ltd. in China

ISSUE 2 · 2020 5
2020 NPC SeSSioN

President Xi
and the people

President Xi Jinping arrives for the opening

meeting of the Third Session of the 13th Na-
tional People’s Congress at the Great Hall of
the People in Beijing on May 22. Li Xueren

6 NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa

ISSUE 2 · 2020 7
2020 NPC SeSSioN

President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission,
takes part in a deliberation with deputies from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region delegation at the Third Session of the 13th National People’s
Congress in Beijing on May 22. Huang Jingwen

‘What is people first?’ Xi points to

how China saves lives at all costs

“
What is people first?” President Xi Jinping asked,
before offering his own answer while speaking with
lawmakers at the National People’s Congress (NPC)
annual session on May 22.
“So many people worked together to save a single pa-
tient. This, in essence, embodies doing whatever it takes (to
save lives),” he said.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of Chi-
na Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military
Commission, is a deputy to the 13th NPC.
During his deliberations with fellow deputies from Inner
Mongolia Autonomous Region, “people” was a keyword. Xi

8 NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa

 “China has the full confidence Fei Dongbin
and capability to win the Deputy to the 13th NPC from Inner Mongolia

battle against the virus with Autonomous Region

Mayor of Ulanqab
concerted efforts,”
“The General Secretary asked us for details about our poverty
referred to a deputy’s story from earlier that morning. Luo
alleviation work in recent years. In particular, he asked whether
Jie, from Hubei Province which was hard hit by COVID-19, the epidemic had caused people to return to poverty. His unwavering
told reporters how medical workers in his hospital spent 47 support gives us full confidence in building a moderately prosperous
days in saving an 87-year-old COVID-19 patient. society in all respects with the rest of the country.”
“About 10 medical workers meticulously took care of the
patient for days, finally saving the patient’s life,” Xi said.
“I’m really impressed.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, health workers around
the world have realized that the elderly are the most dif- Huo Zhaoliang
ficult to treat and require the most sophisticated medical Deputy to the 13th NPC from Inner Mongolia
resources. China has given every patient equal treatment Autonomous Region
irrespective of their age or wealth. Head of the Xilingol League
In Hubei alone, more than 3,600 COVID-19 patients
over the age of 80 have been cured. In the provincial capi-
tal Wuhan, seven centenarian patients were cured. “We must shoulder the important historical mission of eco-
“We mobilized the best doctors, the most advanced logical development, keeping the land green, the sky blue and the
equipment and the most needed resources from around the
water clear. We will not relax in building a crucial ecological security
nation to Hubei and Wuhan, going all out to save lives,” Xi
corridor in north China.”
said, noting that the oldest patient cured was 108 years old.
“We are willing to save lives at all costs. No matter how
old the patients are or how serious their condition have
been, we never give up,” Xi said.
Xi joined political advisors and lawmakers on May 21
and 22 in paying silent tribute to the lives lost to COVID-19 Huhbaater
as the top political advisory body and the national legisla- Deputy to the 13th NPC from Inner Mongolia
ture opened their annual sessions. Autonomous Region
This year’s government work report said China’s econo- Professor at Inner Mongolia Agricultural University
my posted negative growth in the first quarter of the year,
but it was “a price worth paying” to contain COVID-19,
since life is invaluable. “The General Secretary listened attentively to my report on
“As a developing country with 1.4 billion people, it is the prevention and control of animal epidemic diseases. I could
only by overcoming enormous difficulties that China has sense that he cares about the people whole-heartedly.”
been able to contain COVID-19 in such a short time, while
also ensuring our people’s basic needs,” the report said.
Epidemic response is a reflection of China’s governing
philosophy. The fundamental goal of the Party in uniting
and leading the people in revolution, development and re-
form is “to ensure a better life for them,” Xi said. Mei Hua
The nation’s average life expectancy was 77 years in Deputy to the 13th NPC from Inner Mongolia
2018, more than double that in 1949, when the People’s Autonomous Region
Republic was founded. Principal of Yimin Primary School in the Ewenki
Chinese people are not just living longer lives, but also Autonomous Banner in Hulunbuir
better lives, with more material wealth and broader choices
to pursue individual dreams. All rural poor will bid farewell “The General Secretary has always advocated a strong bond
to poverty this year as part of the goal of building a moder- with the people. As a deputy from the local level, his call reso-
ately prosperous society in all respects. nates with me. Thanks to the targeted poverty alleviation policy, living
Xi added that the Party’s long-term governance rests on
conditions for herdsmen in remote areas are much better now.”
“always maintaining a close bond with the people.”
“We must always remain true to the people’s aspiration
and work in concert with them through thick and thin,” Xi
said. (Xinhua) Courtesy of Huang Jingwen, Xie Huanchi

ISSUE 2 · 2020 9
2020 NPC SeSSioN
Xi emphasizes fortifying pub-
lic health protection network
President Xi Jinping (center), also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission,
joins a deliberation with deputies from Hubei Province at the Third Session of the 13th National People’s Congress in Beijing on May 24. Huang Jingwen
P
resident Xi Jinping emphasized the fortification of
the public health protection network while partici-
pating in deliberations at the annual session of the
National People’s Congress on May 24.
He made the remarks during discussions with lawmak-
ers from central China’s Hubei Province, where he stressed
reforming disease prevention and control system; boosting
the epidemic monitoring, early warning and emergency re-
sponse capacity; perfecting the treatment system for major
epidemics; and improving public health emergency laws
and regulations.
Xi commended the vital contributions and enormous
sacrifices made by the people in Hubei and its capital city of
Wuhan in fighting against COVID-19, and expressed his sin-
cere appreciation.
Noting the continued spread of the virus overseas, clus-
ters of cases in some domestic areas, sporadic cases in Hubei
and daily increases of new asymptomatic infections, Xi urged
continued efforts to forestall both imported cases and do-
10
mestic resurgences to ensure that the hard-won progress in
epidemic containment is not lost.
Xi said the most imperative task for Hubei is to spare no
efforts to coordinate COVID-19 prevention and control, and
economic and social development, while paying close atten-
tion to addressing possible “post-epidemic syndromes.”
China’s public health and medical service systems played
key roles in dealing with the epidemic, but some weak links
and inadequacies were also exposed, Xi said, urging prompt
efforts to remedy them.
Noting that prevention is the most economical and effec-
tive health strategy, Xi emphasized the importance of more
targeted and effective measures and the fulfillment of respon-
sibilities for reporting infectious disease and public health
emergencies.
The key to epidemic monitoring and early warning lies in
timeliness and accuracy, Xi said, calling for improving the
monitoring mechanism for diseases of unknown causes and
abnormal health incidents, and establishing a smart multi-
NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa
 Zhang Wenxi
Deputy to the 13th NPC from Hubei Province
Secretary of the Party branch of Chenyu Village
in Wuhan

“The Party branch at the primary level plays a key role in

the fight against COVID-19. Thanks to the joint efforts of Par-
ty cadres and villagers, there are no confirmed or suspected cases in
my village.”

Yu Cheng
Deputy to the 13th NPC from Hubei Province
Lecturer with the Wuhan Second Light
Industry School

“General Secretary Xi Jinping was very concerned with our

wellbeing during the epidemic. People in Wuhan asked me
that if I had the opportunity to meet him. I want to extend my grati-
tude to the General Secretary on behalf of the teachers and students
at our school.”

Luo Jie
Deputy to the 13th NPC from Hubei Province
President of Taihe Hospital in Shiyan

“The General Secretary’s speech pointed a clear direction

for reform of the disease prevention and control system, and
the improvement of the major epidemic treatment system.”
point trigger system for early warning, among others.
Xi ordered strengthening capacity building to deal with
major epidemics and organizing drills and training.
He also spoke of the need to build infrastructures includ-
ing national medical centers and regional medical treatment
centers, and boost the system of public health laws and regu- Song Qingli
lations. Deputy to the 13th NPC from Hubei Province
Xi called for adopting the philosophy of full lifecycle Farmer from Hefeng County
management throughout the entire process of urban plan-
ning, construction and management; faster development
of a public health system that fits into the country’s rapid-
ly-advancing urbanization and densely-populated cities; “When the General Secretary heard that farmers’ per-capita
and consistent efforts to improve the rural living environ- income in my county had increased to 12,140 yuan ($1,735), he
ment. nodded. I believe he could relate to our happiness. Now our income
He stressed promoting and upholding practices such is guaranteed and we don’t have to worry about returning to poverty
as wearing masks, socially distancing, sorting garbage and because of the epidemic.”
making online appointments for hospital visits, which have
become social norms in China. (Xinhua)
Courtesy of Huang Jingwen

ISSUE 2 · 2020 11
2020 NPC SeSSioN
Li Zhanshu (center), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman
of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, joins deputies from Jiangxi Province in group deliberations at the Third Session of the
13th NPC in Beijing on May 22. Ding Lin
Chinese leaders attend deliberations
at annual legislative session
S
enior leaders called for more efforts to build a mod-
erately prosperous society in all respects on May 22,
while attending deliberations at the Third Session of
the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC).
Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and
Han Zheng – members of the Standing Committee of the
Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Central Committee – gave their complete support to the gov-
ernment work report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang at the
session.
Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee,
joined deputies from Jiangxi Province in group delibera-
tions, asking legislators to review well and improve on the
draft Civil Code, which will be the first basic law defined as a
“code” of the People’s Republic of China, once adopted.
He also said establishing and improving the legal system
and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (HKSAR) to safeguard national secu-
rity is completely consistent with China’s Constitution and
the Basic Law of the HKSAR, and will be fully supported by
all Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots.
12
Wang Yang, chairman of the Chinese People’s Political
Consultative Conference National Committee, told deputies
from Sichuan Province to counteract the impact of COVID-19
and ensure a victory in the fight against poverty.
Wang Huning, secretariat member of the CPC Central
Committee, underscored efforts to promote the coordinated
development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, boost the
development of Xiongan New Area and make sound prepa-
rations for the 2022 Winter Olympic, while participating in
deliberations with deputies from Hebei Province.
Joining deputies from Heilongjiang Province for deliber-
ations, Zhao Leji, secretary of the CPC Central Commission
for Discipline Inspection, stressed strengthening supervision
over the implementation of major decisions and arrange-
ments.
Vice Premier Han Zheng, during deliberations with depu-
ties from Shaanxi Province, underlined efforts to coordinate
epidemic containment and economic and social development,
take more measures on deepening reform and expanding
opening up to solve difficulties facing development and create
more room for the development of market entities. (Xinhua)
NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa
Vitality of Chinese democracy
never more evident
T
he annual session of the National People’s Con-
gress concluded on May 28, showing firm deter-
mination to achieve development milestones and
making key progress in protecting civil rights and
safeguarding national security.
The week-long session adopted the milestone Civil Code
and a decision to make national security laws for Hong Kong.
The annual Two Sessions also included the meeting of the
National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Con-
sultative Conference (CPPCC), the national political advisory
body.
In a year of unprecedented challenges and crucial sig-
nificance in the nation’s development, these major political
events built consensus, boosted confidence and solidarity,
and pooled wisdom to enable the country to resolutely ad-
vance toward its set goals while overcoming all difficulties
and obstacles.
As the Communist Party of China (CPC) leadership steers
the nation through these hazardous times, the vitality,
strength and wisdom of Chinese socialist democracy have
never been more evident.
During the Two Sessions, which are major platforms for
Chinese people’s democracy and consultative democracy, the
term “people first” reverberated among nearly 3,000 national
lawmakers and more than 2,000 political advisors.
The CPC has always followed a people-centered approach.
Through legally established procedures, its stances take the
form of the will of the country, and its key decisions and
people’s aspirations are transformed into concrete plans and
actions.
Deputies to the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) walked out of the Great Hall of the People after the closing meeting of the Third Session of the
13th NPC in Beijing on May 28. Xing Guangli
ISSUE 2 · 2020
During the NPC session, 506 motions and about 9,000
proposals were received from deputies, a vivid example of
how they reflect the voices of the people.
Chinese democracy has also set an example of protecting
people’s lives, health, rights and interests as showcased by
the country’s ability to contain COVID-19 in such a short
time through a people’s war, while giving full play to the in-
stitutional strength of mobilizing resources for accomplishing
major undertakings.
The epidemic was behind postponing the Two Sessions,
normally held in March, due to efforts to control its spread
and save lives. The convening of the sessions in May was a
direct result of the fact that the country had turned the tide in
its fight against COVID-19 through arduous efforts.
The miraculous lifting of over 90 million people out of
poverty over the past seven years and the imminent elimina-
tion of absolute poverty this year are concrete manifestations
of the strength and effectiveness of democracy in China.
The system of CPC-led multiparty cooperation and polit-
ical consultation is an important contributor to democratic
decision-making and problem-solving. The ruling CPC has
cooperated with non-Communist parties, which build con-
sensus, formulate proposals and participate in discussing and
handling state affairs.
With a stronger common will, the Two Sessions have
boosted the national morale for fulfilling the country’s devel-
opment goals to meet people’s aspirations for a better life. In
addition, China will continue striving to build a community
with a shared future for humanity through deepening cooper-
ation with the rest of the world. (Xinhua)
13
2020 NPC SeSSioN

Special period,
innovative gathering

14 NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa

 Sessions postponed and shortened
The 2020 annual sessions of the National People’s Congress
(NPC), the top legislature–postponed from March–kicked off on
May 22 and 21, and was shortened to eight days due to the novel
coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
By postponing the Two Sessions, China had a wider window
to fight COVID-19, identify how to minimize the impact of the
epidemic on development and prepare policies to boost growth
more precisely. Shen Hong

Masking up
Deputies and other attendees
strictly followed the requirement to
wear masks during the sessions.
All meeting halls, cafeterias,
elevators and restrooms were
equipped with well-designed venti-
lation systems. Xinhua
A silent tribute
Attendees pay a silent trib-
ute to the martyrs who have
sacrificed their lives for fighting
against COVID-19 and compa-
triots who have lost their lives to
the epidemic during the opening
meeting of the Third Session of
the 13th NPC in Beijing on May
22. Wang Yuguo

ISSUE 2 · 2020 15
2020 NPC SeSSioN

Dialogue in the ‘cloud’

Press conferences were
shared via video links; cloud
meetings become the new nor-
mal. Online conference rooms
were set up where NPC depu-
ties were housed for interviews
via the “cloud.” Chen Yehua

Asking questions
Journalists raise their hands
to ask questions during a press
conference of the Third Session
of the 13th National Committee
of the CPPCC through a video
link in Beijing on May 24.
Xing Guangli

16 NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa

 Talking to the media
Cao Jincai, spokesperson of the delegation of Jilin
Province to the National People’s Congress (NPC),
talks to the media on the delegation’s deliberation out-
come and deputies’ suggestions at a press conference
during the Third Session of the 13th NPC in Beijing on
May 27. Xinhua
Streaming deliberations
NPC deputy Li Wei (center)
speaks during deliberations with the
delegation from Shandong Province
at the Third Session of the 13th NPC
in Beijing on May 23.
Other deputies and attendees
listen and participate in the dis-
cussion during the meetings via
smartphones. Wu Yu
ISSUE 2 · 2020
Fang Yan, a deputy to the 13th National People’s Congress from
Hubei Province, takes questions from the press at a video interview
room in Beijing on May 20.
Against the backdrop of epidemic prevention and control, video
interview rooms were set up to facilitate cloud communication
between deputies and reporters. Wu Yu
Health packets and robots
Health packets were prepared for depu-
ties, journalists and staff members during
the Two Sessions. The package included
masks, two thermometers, a bag of disin-
fectant wipes and other epidemic preven-
tion items, as well as a leaflet on epidemic
prevention tips.
Disinfection robots were used at the living
quarters of the deputies. Zhang Xiaobo
17
Civil Code: A MileStoNe

Civil Code, better

protecting people’s
legitimate rights
and interests

18 NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa


The Great Hall of the People, May 27. Li He
X
i Jinping, general secretary of
the Communist Party of Chi-
na (CPC) Central Committee,
emphasized full recognition of
the promulgation and implementation
of the country’s newly adopted Civil
Code, as well as better protection of the
people’s legitimate rights and interests
in accordance with law.
Xi made the remarks on May 29 while
presiding over a group study session of
the Political Bureau of the CPC Central
Committee on the effective implementa-
tion of the Civil Code.
He called on the whole Party to effec-
tively promote the implementation of
the Civil Code in order to better advance
the law-based governance of the country
and the building of a socialist country
based on the rule of law, and to better
protect people’s rights and interests.
Noting that the Civil Code is the first
law to have “code” in its title since New
China was founded in 1949, Xi said it
marks a major achievement in develop-
ing socialist rule of law in the new era.
The Civil Code systematically inte-
grates the civil legal norms developed by
long-term practices during more than
70 years of New China, drawing upon
the Chinese nation’s fine legal culture
stretching back more than 5,000 years
and humanity’s achievements in build-
ing law-based civilizations, Xi said.
Party and state organs at all levels
should take into account the stipulations
of the Civil Code while carrying out rel-
evant work, without violating the legiti-
mate civil rights of the public, including
personal and property rights, Xi added.
Relevant state departments should
step up the institutional building of
laws and regulations related to the Civ-
il Code, Xi said, noting that the code
should serve as an important scale plate
for administrative decision-making,
management and supervision.
Xi also stressed the strengthening of
work in civil trials, and supervision and
guidance in key areas that involve the
protection of property, personality and
intellectual property rights, as well as
ecological and environmental protec-
tion.
Highlighting the importance of giving
full play to the roles of legal organiza-
tions and professionals, including law
firms and lawyers, Xi also called for the
incorporation of the Civil Code into the
national education system. (Xinhua)

ISSUE 2 · 2020 19
Civil Code: A MileStoNe

Decades efforts to
enact Civil Code
A Chinese civil code has been a long cherished
wish of generations of civil law scholars
The closing meeting of the Third Ses-
sion of the 13th National People’s Con-
By Yuan Yuan and Ge Lijun gress is held at the Great Hall of the
People in Beijing on May 28. Ding Haitao

20 NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa

J
in Ping, a 98-year-old retired law professor from
Southwest University of Political Science and Law in
Chongqing Municipality in Southwest China, is the
last surviving expert to have participated in the first
three attempts to draft a civil code in China.
The three bids, in 1954, 1962 and 1979, didn’t get enacted
for various reasons, while the fourth undertaking, launched
in 2001 with participation from some of Jin’s students, also
failed in its mission.
The Civil Code, anticipated for decades, finally came to life
and was adopted at the Third Session of the 13th National
People’s Congress (NPC) on May 28, and will take effect on
January 1, 2021.
Jin said he was “overjoyed” at the news during an inter-
view with Xinhua News Agency, adding that it was a “blessing”
for him to see his lifelong goal come to fruition.
The code was adopted one day before Jin’s birthday. “It is
a landmark achievement in China’s law-making history,” Jin
said. “This is the best birthday gift ever.”
A long process
To formulate a Chinese civil code had been a long cher-
ished wish of generations of civil law scholars over the past
few decades.
Sun Xianzhong, a research fellow at the Law Institute of
the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and a deputy to both
the 12th and 13th NPC, was an arduous promoter of compil-
ing a civil code.
“The current civil law system is a patchwork of fragmented
legislation,” he told the reporter. Since 1980, China has suc-
cessively promulgated a series of separate laws including the
Marriage Law, the Adoption Law, the Contracts Law and the
Property Law, which for a long time have served as the basis
for judicial practice in civil cases.
The General Principles of the Civil Law, enacted in 1986 as
the foundation for the civil law system, could hardly meet the
demands of a fast developing society, Sun explained. After
in-depth fieldwork, he found that among its 156 articles, less
than 20 could be applied to modern society. The other articles
have either been replaced by separate laws or left behind.
Some articles in the General Principles even contradict
other laws. For example, Article 136 states that the limitation
on action concerning sales of substandard goods without
proper notice shall be one year. However, Article 45 in the
Product Quality Law states that the limitation for action for
damages arising from a defective product is two years.
“There are gaps and inconsistencies that exist among the
separate laws,” Sun said. “To set up an overarching frame-
work for civil rights to refine the country’s basic legal system
has become an urgent issue for the Chinese law-making com-
munity.”
In 2013, the first year he served as an NPC deputy, Sun
took the lead and submitted a proposal for compiling a civil
code. In 2014, he submitted the same proposal. That same
year, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 18th Communist Par-
ty of China (CPC) Central Committee called for progress in
drafting a unified civil code.
Jin was excited by the news. “This was a turning point in
China’s civil law history,” he said. “I was very confident that
the Civil Code would be compiled successfully this time.”
ISSUE 2 · 2020
Shortly afterward, a two-step strategy was adopted. The
NPC would first enact the General Provisions of the Civil
Law, which would be followed by a review of each section of
the civil code by the NPC Standing Committee. Finally, the
General Provisions would be combined with the drafts of in-
dividual sections to form a draft Civil Code, which would be
submitted to the NPC for final deliberation.
In March 2015, the NPC Standing Committee set up a spe-
cial work group for the drafting. In June 2016, it deliberated
on the first draft of the General Provisions of the Civil Law,
and on March 15, 2017, the General Provisions was passed at
the annual NPC session, marking a milestone in the progress
toward a full-fledged civil code.
In addition, president Xi Jinping presided over three
meetings of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau
of the CPC Central Committee in June 2016, August 2018 and
December 2019, listening to the report of the NPC Standing
Committee and providing important instructions.
In April 2017, the compilation of the six specific sections of
the civil code was launched, while in late 2019, the complete
draft made its debut after the General Provisions was com-
bined with the six draft sections and opened to the public for
consultation.
Zhang Yesui, spokesperson for this year’s NPC session,
said on May 21 that in the Civil Code’s compiling process,
the NPC collected 10 rounds of public opinion online and
The Civil Code finally came to life
and was adopted at the Third
Session of the 13th National People’s
Congress on May 28, and will take
effect on January 1, 2021.
Seven partS of the Civil Code
General Provisions
Property
Contracts
Personal Rights
Marriage and Family
Inheritance
Torts
Supplementary Provisions
It has a total of 1,260 articles.
21
Civil Code: A MileStoNe
Li Zhanshu (center), chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over a chairpersons’ meeting of the 13th NPC
Standing Committee in Beijing on June 9. During the meeting, Chinese lawmakers studied a speech by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist
Party of China Central Committee, on the effective implementation of the country’s newly adopted Civil Code. Rao Aimin
received over 1 million pieces of advice and suggestions from
some 425,000 people. In addition, legislators went to many
areas of China to investigate key issues.
Wang Liming, a law professor and vice president of Ren-
min University of China (RUC) said that the legislators lis-
tened intently to the opinions of all parties and improved
relevant rules in a timely manner. Thus, the Civil Code sub-
mitted to the NPC for deliberation had been changed based
on various opinions.
In February, Chen Haiyi, NPC deputy and chief judge at
the Juvenile Criminal Tribunal of the Guangzhou Intermedi-
ate People’s Court in Guangdong Province in Southeast Chi-
na, submitted a proposal to the NPC Standing Committee on
improving guardianship regulations because there were some
children who couldn’t get proper care while their parents
were quarantined during novel coronavirus epidemic preven-
tion and control.
To her delight, Chen found that her suggestion was in-
cluded in the draft Civil Code, which had specific provisions
concerning new problems such as emergency situations like
pandemic prevention and control. The articles state that if
the guardian is temporarily unable to perform guardianship
duties and the person under guardianship is left unattended,
primary-level authorities or the civil affairs department where
the guardian resides shall arrange necessary temporary care.
Cradle to grave protection
As the first legislative package called a “code” since the
founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the Civil
22
Code, dubbed an “encyclopedia on social life” and the “en-
cyclopedia of rights,” consists of 1,260 articles in seven vol-
umes, including almost every aspect of people’s lives.
“The Civil Code protects people’s rights to the fullest,” Sun
told the reporter. “It lays an important legal and institutional
foundation for the modernization of the country’s governance
system and capacity.”
“It comes at a time when Chinese society is experiencing a
major transformation in its development,” said Li Shenglong,
vice president of Chongqing No.1 Intermediate People’s
Court. “Some of the code’s articles concerning environmen-
tal pollution and management, and an aging population are
noteworthy.”
“One of the highlights in the Civil Code is the section ded-
icated to personality rights,” Wang told the reporter. “This
reflects the wisdom of China’s judicial practice over the past
few decades, and will undoubtedly increase the protection of
ordinary Chinese people’s rights.”
The term “dignity of life” is introduced in this section.
Yang Lixin, a law professor at RUC, defined it as the dignity
of birth, life and death. With this provision, a person can
choose to refuse or accept hospice care or painful hospital
treatment.
The term “peace of private life” grants people protection
from illegal intrusion through activities such as peeping,
eavesdropping and spam emails. Data collectors have a duty
to protect an individual’s personal information and cannot
obtain, disclose or conduct transactions of this data without
individual consent.
The code also responds to issues arising from the develop-
NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa
ment of hi-tech and life sciences. For example, it lists human
genes and embryos as fundamental rights that deserve pro-
tection and dictates that all medical and scientific research
related to human genes and embryos follow strict rules, laws
and regulations. This provision is considered to be a response
to gene-editing experiments on babies conducted by a pro-
fessor in life sciences in Shenzhen, Guangdong in November
2018.
The natural person’s voice is also protected by the code as
a right of personality. “With the development of artificial in-
telligence, the natural person’s voice is more widely used on
more occasions,” Fang Yan, vice director of the Shaanxi Law-
yers Association and an NPC deputy, said. “The Civil Code
has adapted to the fast development of science and technolo-
gy.”
In the marriage law section, a cooling-off period of 30 days
for couples ready to divorce has drawn wide attention. Cou-
ples who file for a divorce by agreement must wait 30 days to Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China has been on the shelves in
consider their decision. If they change their mind, they can Shenyang on June 2. Yu Haiyang
withdraw their divorce application within the 30 days, but
after the waiting period, those who still want to divorce will “Some scholars say the Civil Code will provide a univer-
receive their official documents. Cases of domestic violence sal tool for judicial organs to settle civil disputes,” said Qiao
or divorce lawsuits are exempted. Xinsheng, a professor of law at Zhongnan University of Eco-
The article has evoked many discussions. Jiang Shengnan, nomics and Law in Hubei Province. “But the complexity of
a writer and NPC deputy, suggested it be deleted. “Among civil relations and the emergence of new problems due to
ready-to-divorce couples, only 5 percent made the decision social changes require judicial organs to understand deeply
impulsively,” she said. “The 30-day cooling-off period only the basic spirit of the Civil Code, combine Chinese traditions
leaves those who have given divorce careful consideration to and culture with the moral and ethical standards of modern
suffer longer in a failed marriage.” society and fully comprehend the specific legal norms of the
Sun Xianzhong, who participated in the whole drafting Civil Code.”
process, said the article was added with thoughtful attention. Jin, the nonagenarian, said that it is a good beginning, but
“The 5 percent is no small number since the divorce rate has still needs to be improved and updated so that it can serve
been steadily increasing in recent years,” he said. the people better.
The new code also leaves some issues unresolved for legal On May 28, right after the Civil Code was adopted by the
professionals to continue working on. Shi Jiayou, a law pro- NPC, a team was set up at Southwest University of Political
fessor at RUC, raised an example concerning the protection Science and Law to popularize it in schools, communities and
of personal information. For parties that have the right to rural areas.
collect personal data, the code fails to regulate how long they “It’s no easy task to formulate a good law, and it’s even
can keep people’s information and under what circumstances more important to make sure it is understood by the public
they must delete the data. and enforced effectively,” Jin said. (Beijing Review)

The draft is submitted The NPC Standing Six draft civil code The General Provisions A special work group
to the annual session Committee submits the sections are submitted of the Civil Law is is set up for drafting
of the 13th NPC for draft to the NPC for to the NPC Standing passed at the annual the document.
deliberation. deliberation. Committee for review. NPC session.

May 22, Dec. 28, Aug. 2018 Mar. 15, Mar. 2015
2020 2019 2017
timeline
of the
legislative
process May 28, Dec. 23, Oct. 1, Jun. 27,
2020 Dec. 28, 2019 2019 2017 2016 Oct. 2014
- Jan. 26, 2020
The Fourth Plenary Ses-
The draft Civil Code is The NPC seeks public The complete draft Civil The NPC Standing
The General Provi- sion of the 18th CPC
adopted by the NPC opinions on the draft Code makes its debut af- Committee deliberates
sions of the Civil Law Central Committee puts
and will go into effect and receives 114,574 ter combining the General on the first draft of the
is implemented. forward the legislative
on January 1, 2021. comments from Provisions and the six General Provisions of
task of compiling a Civil
13,718 netizens. draft sections. the Civil Law.
Code.

Two steps of legislation First: Compiling the general provisions of civil law Second: Compiling six specific sections

2019
ISSUE 2 · 2020 23
Civil Code: A MileStoNe

Five key points

to understand
Civil Code
By Liu Rui

T
he adoption of the Civil Code at the Third Session
of the 13th National People’s Congress, means
that the Chinese people now have a civil code of
their own. It is the first law since the founding
of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 to bear the title
“code,” the first to contain more than 1,000 articles and
the first with more than 100,000 Chinese characters.
Five key points will help people gain a better under-
standing of the voluminous Civil Code.
First, it is systemic. The codification of the Civil Code
does not reinvent the wheel, nor is it a simple compilation
of the large number of civil laws and civil norms of the
past. It is a process of systemic integration. Codification Female workers study the newly adopted Civil Code at a company in
essentially means a systemic process. As a critical step in Xingtai, Hebei Province in North China on June 24. Li Jiwei

structuring the legal system of the country, it lays an im-

portant legal and institutional foundation for the modern-
ization of China’s governance system and capacities.
Second, it is people-oriented. The core of the Civil Code
is the people, meaning it is a law for the people, highlight-
ing their rights. The code is an edifice of people’s rights
that houses personality rights, identity rights, property
rights, claims, intellectual property rights, equity rights
and so on.
One highlight is its emphasis on the protection of
people’s rights. It not only incorporates new types of civ-
il rights, such as the right to residence and the right to
privacy, but it also protects certain interests that are not
identified as rights, such as an individual’s personal data
and voice. It clearly provides for the protection of the nat-
ural person’s voice, with reference to the provisions appli-
cable to the protection of the right to one’s image.
The Civil Code effectively addresses people’s concerns
by lowering the threshold for decision-making by the
general meeting of apartment owners, providing for the
“co-signing” of joint debts between spouses and prohibit-
ing sexual harassment.
Third, it draws on the quality outcomes of traditional
Chinese culture and civil laws. Civil laws make up a vast
and profound field with a long history that began with Ro-
The Civil Code is not a finished work,
nor is it immune to changes; rather,
it allows for future reforms and
further development by leaving an
interface for future laws.
man law and have a number of milestones, such as the Na-
poleonic Code and the German Civil Code. Many countries
around the world have their own civil codes.
There is also a great variety of quality outcomes in civil
law tradition and research in China, especially over the four
decades since the country adopted its reform and open-
ing-up policy. Valuable legislative and judiciary experience
has also been accumulated throughout the past. All these
have provided important references for the Civil Code.
Fourth, it is up to date. We are living in an age of infor-
mation technology (IT). That is why it is important to regu-

24 NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa


late the information- and IT-related areas in the Civil Code,
such as taking into consideration cases of rights violated
on the internet, while improving regulations related to the
formulation of electronic contracts.
We also value green development in the 21st century.
Therefore, the Civil Code highlights ecological protection.
This is the first time China’s civil law includes the green
principle, making it a first for a civil code in the world. The
green concept is not only manifested as a principle but
also as a series of specific provisions. For example, the im-
plementation of a contract specifically requires the conser-
vation of resources, the protection of the environment and
new punitive compensation for ecological damage.
Fifth, it is open. The Civil Code contains 1,260 articles,
which is very extensive, but it still falls short of meeting the
needs of complex civil rights. For instance, China continues
to deepen its reforms in the building and construction of
rural areas, and new practices keep emerging in the context
of big data and artificial intelligence.
Therefore, the Civil Code is not a finished work, nor is
it immune to changes; rather, it allows for future reforms
and further development by leaving an interface for future
laws.
ISSUE 2 · 2020
Opinions: Promoting implementation
of the Civil Code
Deputy Yan Jianguo
Principal partner of Beijing Xinli Law Firm and
member of Jiusan Society
To improve the relevant civil laws and systems, we
should strengthen the promulgation of supporting laws
and regulations; we should shore up the capability of
relevant departments in seeking the rule of law within
the framework of Civil Code, improve law enforcement
and efficiency of judicial departments; We should
popularize the Civil Code, so that it can truly become a
“valuable book” that everyone can use when protecting
their rights.
Deputy Liu Huaiping
Vice president of Chinese Society of Environmental
Protection Industry
We should strengthen public interest litigation to
better protect environment. Procuratorial organs or
organizations regulated by law can use public interest
litigation mechanism to claim rights, which reflects the
original intention of the state to attach importance to
environmental protection.
In order to achieve the consistency with the Civ-
il Code in the field of environmental protection, the
top-level design role of the code should be fully respect-
ed, and the coordination between laws and regulations
should be properly handled.
Deputy Jiao Xin’an
President of Yangzhou University
It is necessary to bring the Civil Code into the high
er education system to improve the awareness among
college students and better promote the implementa-
tion of the Civil Code.
To publicize Civil Code knowledge among the
grassroots people, college students can organize lec-
tures or participate social practice to inform the Civil
Code to the public in simple language.
Colleges and universities can carry out in-depth
researches on the implementation of the Civil Code.
25
Spotlight
China firm on achieving
development goals for 2020
Premier Li Keqiang delivers the government work report at the opening
meeting of the Third Session of the 13th National People’s Congress at
the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 22. Shen Hong
C
hina will work to achieve its development goals of
winning the battle against poverty and completing
the building of a moderately prosperous society
in all respects this year, although it set no specific
economic growth target for 2020, according to the govern-
ment work report submitted to the national legislature for
deliberation on May 22.
The decision to drop a specific growth target was made be-
cause the country faces some factors that are difficult to pre-
dict in its development due to the great uncertainty regarding
the COVID-19 pandemic and the world economic and trade
environment, Premier Li Keqiang said while delivering the
report at the opening of the Third Session of the 13th Nation-
al People’s Congress.
“Not setting a specific target for economic growth will en-
able all of us to concentrate on ensuring stability on six fronts
and security in six areas,” Li said.
26
The six fronts refer to employment, the financial sector,
foreign trade, foreign investment, domestic investment and
expectations. The six areas are job security, basic living
needs, operations of market entities, food and energy securi-
ty, stable industrial and supply chains, and the normal func-
tioning of primary-level governments.
“We must focus on maintaining security in the six areas
in order to ensure stability on the six fronts. By doing so, we
will be able to keep the fundamentals of the economy sta-
ble,” he said. “Maintaining security will deliver the stability
needed to pursue progress, thus laying a solid foundation for
accomplishing our goal of building a moderately prosperous
society in all respects.”
China will give priority to stabilizing employment and
ensuring living standards, with the report unveiling detailed
targets, policies and measures.
China aims to add over 9 million new urban jobs in 2020,
while keeping the surveyed urban unemployment rate at
around 6 percent. The country will ensure the elimination
of poverty among all rural residents living below the current
poverty line and in all poor counties.
China plans to set its fiscal deficit above 3.6 percent of its
GDP, which will result in a deficit increase of 1 trillion yuan
($141 billion) against last year. It will also issue 1 trillion
yuan of government bonds for COVID-19 control.
The country will further cut taxes and fees for enterprises
with the aim of reducing corporate burden by over 2.5 trillion
yuan ($357 billion), while stepping up financial support for
stable business operations.
“At present and for some time to come, China will face
risks and challenges like never before,” Li said. “However,
we have unique political and institutional strengths, a strong
economic foundation, enormous market potential and hun-
dreds of millions of smart and hardworking people.”
“If we face challenges head-on, boost confidence in devel-
opment, create strong impetus for growth, and preserve and
make the most of this important period of strategic oppor-
tunity for our development, we will, undoubtfully, be able to
make it through this challenging time,” he said. “The horizon
for China’s development is full of promise.”
China will redouble its efforts to minimize the losses re-
sulting from COVID-19, and keep its policies forceful and
sustainable.
“We have both the resolve and the ability to accomplish the
targets and tasks set for this year,” Li assured. (Xinhua)
NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa
Unique advantages
How does China transform its institutional advantages into governance effectiveness?
By Lu Yan
T
he Third Session of the 13th National People’s
Congress (NPC) held its second plenary meeting
at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May
25.
Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, de-
livered a work report summing up the Standing Committee’s
work over the past year, highlighting decisions to confer na-
tional medals and honorary titles, and grant special pardons
to some convicted criminals, along with an NPC draft decision
to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement
mechanisms in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
(HKSAR) to safeguard national security.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Stand-
ing Committee has acted promptly and performed its lawful
duty while rigorously implementing the decisions and plans
of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee,
Li said.
The Standing Committee issued a decision to completely
ban the illegal trade and consumption of wildlife, arranged for
the enactment and revision of laws to strengthen the system
Chirman Li Zhanshu (second from right) learns about the construction of local legislative liaison stations and outreach offices in Qingxiu district of
Nanning, South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on July 12. Li Tao
ISSUE 2 · 2020
of legal guarantees for public health, and actively reached out
to the public to clarify epidemic prevention and control laws
in response to public concerns, among other actions.
Effective responses to major challenges and risks, as well
as breakthroughs made, demonstrate that the people’s con-
gress system is vital and boasts enormous advantages.
“We must remain committed to upholding and improving
the people’s congress system, and constantly enrich its prac-
tical nature and contemporary relevance. By doing so, we can
translate our institutional strengths into effective national
governance and use the people’s congress system to ensure
that our nation’s destiny remains firmly in the hands of our
people,” the report stated.
The Constitution’s authority
As China’s fundamental law, the Constitution represents
the most concrete embodiment of the will of the Party and the
people. In 2019, the NPC Standing Committee worked to en-
sure the full implementation of the Constitution in all aspects
27
SPotlight
of state governance.
Under the leadership of the CPC and in accordance with
constitutional stipulations, the Standing Committee decided
to confer national medals and titles of honor on the occasion
of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Re-
public of China (PRC), with President Xi Jinping signing a
presidential order.
The nation’s highest honor was awarded to 36 prominent
figures who have made outstanding achievements during the
development of the PRC, as well as six foreigners who have
contributed greatly to cooperation and exchange between
China and other countries.
“It was the first time that a ceremony was held to award
multiple national medals since the current Constitution went
into effect,” said Fan Peng, an NPC deputy from Gansu Prov-
ince in northwest China, adding that he believed that the
honor demonstrates the importance of forging social values
by promoting heroes and goodness. It is also a vivid interpre-
tation of the effective implementation of constitutional law
and fully reflects constitutional authority.
On May 28 at its Third Session, the 13th NPC adopted the
NPC Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal Sys-
tem and Enforcement Mechanisms for Safeguarding National
Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The decision, consisting of an introduction and seven ar-
ticles, represents a major move to uphold and improve the
system of institutions under the policy of One Country, Two
Systems, maintain law-based governance in Hong Kong and
protect the HKSAR’s constitutional order as defined in the
Constitution and the Basic Law that complements the fun-
damental interests of all Chinese people, including those in
Hong Kong.
According to the report, the Standing Committee con-
ducted inspections regarding constitutional compliance, and
recorded and reviewed normative documents in accordance
with the law.
A total of 1,995 administrative regulations, local statutes
and judicial interpretations, and 33 local laws from special
administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau) were submit-
ted for the record in 2019. The Standing Committee examined
138 suggestions on review work from citizens and organiza-
tions, the report said.
Through review, the Standing Committee compelled rele-
vant bodies to correct 506 normative documents that conflict-
ed with the Constitution or other laws, thus safeguarding the
unity, sanctity and authority of the country’s legal system.
Resolving people’s concerns
According to the report, China’s legislative work in the past
year showed that since socialism with Chinese characteristics
entered into a new era, the country’s legislative work must
meet the new requirements for the development of the cause
of the Party and the state, uphold a people-centered philos-
ophy and ensure that the Party’s propositions are translated
into the will of the state through legally stipulated procedures.
For instance, China enacted the Resource Tax Law, revised
the Law on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pol-
lution Caused by Solid Waste and the Forest Law, and formu-
lated the Law on Promoting Basic Medical and Health Care,
among others, demonstrating the country’s constant efforts to
legislate in a more well-conceived, democratic and law-based
28
Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing
Committee, delivers a work report of the 13th NPC Standing Committee at
the Second Plenary of the Third Session of the 13th NPC at the Great Hall
of the People in Beijing on May 25, 2020. Zhai Jianlan
manner.
Over the past year, the Standing Committee continued to
exercise proper and effective oversight, and put the focus on
ensuring that administrative, supervisory, judicial and proc-
uratorial powers were exercised properly and in accordance
with the law.
With a view to ensuring that the people benefit more ful-
ly and fairly from reform and development, the Standing
Committee advanced oversight work on solving problems of
immediate concern to the people in terms of environmental
protection, education and the development of the cultural in-
dustry, among others.
Cao Liqiang, an NPC deputy from Shanghai, said that in-
novations have been made in oversight methods, with the ef-
fectiveness of the oversight mechanism constantly improved.
For example, in terms of improving ecological protection, the
Standing Committee combined inspections and special inqui-
ries regarding the enforcement of the Law on the Prevention
and Control of Water Pollution.
Performance of duties
NPC deputies are members of the highest organ of state
power. By respecting the rights of its deputies, the Standing
Committee shows respect for the rights of the people, and by
ensuring that deputies lawfully perform their duties, it guar-
antees that the people remain masters of the country.
With this in mind, the Standing Committee formulated 35
measures for strengthening and improving work related to
NPC deputies in an effort to support and guarantee the law-
based performance of their duties.
In the past year, mechanisms for members of the Standing
Committee to be in touch with deputies were improved, and
special committees and working committees were encouraged
to remain in closer contact with deputies.
NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa
 “We improved mechanisms for deputies to participate in
the work of the Standing Committee and special committees,
with 74 participating in law enforcement inspections, 73
in budget review and oversight, and 298 in meetings of the
Standing Committee in a non-voting capacity,” Li said.
Moreover, closer ties between deputies and the people
were fostered. Local people’s congresses were encouraged to
arrange for NPC deputies to attend activities organized by li-
aison offices and nearby local legislative offices.
According to the report, local people’s congresses at all lev-
els have established 228,000 liaison offices, thereby setting
up a platform covering both urban and rural areas that help
deputies perform their duties by providing a foothold in local
communities to foster closer communication with the people.
In addition, the Standing Committee organized research
projects and inspection tours for 1,830 deputies, which
resulted in 91 reports. It continued to channel training re- Chairman Li Zhanshu (center) presides over a symposium to hear NPC
sources toward primary-level deputies and organized training deputies’ opinions and suggestions on the draft work report of the NPC
programs over the year that drew more than 1,900 attendees. Standing Committee in Beijing on January 20. Li Tao
Total attendance in centralized training has surpassed 3,200
since the First Session of the 13th NPC in 2018, with essen- Yang Lianying, an NPC deputy from Yunnan Province in
tially all primary-level deputies involved in study sessions on southwest China, said that the measures are in accordance
matters pertaining to their duties. with today’s reality and are very “down to earth.”

Main tasks for the coming months

Li Zhanshu, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress
Highlights Main Tasks Ahead in a Work Report
Delivered at the Third Session of the 13th National People’s Congress
May 25, 2020

I
n 2020, our Party will lead the people in fulfilling the
first centenary goal. Facing a challenging and complex
international environment as well as formidable tasks
for advancing domestic reform and development and
ensuring stability, the NPC must come to terms with nu-
merous new developments and demands in its work. The
Standing Committee must hold high the banner of social-
ism with Chinese characteristics, follow the guidance of
Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Character-
istics for a New Era, and fully implement the guiding prin-
ciples of the Party’s 19th National Congress and the second,
third, and fourth plenary sessions of its 19th Central Com-
mittee. We must boost our awareness of the need to main-
tain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow
the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central
Party leadership. We must strengthen our confidence in
the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chi-
nese characteristics. We must resolutely uphold General
Secretary Xi Jinping’s core position on the Central Com-
mittee and in the Party as a whole, and resolutely uphold
the Central Committee’s authority and centralized, unified
leadership. We must uphold the unity between the leader-
ship of the Party, the position of the people as masters of
the country, and law-based governance. We must focus our
work on modernizing China’s governance system and ca-
pacity for governance, on coordinating efforts to implement
the five-sphere integrated plan and the four-pronged com-
prehensive strategy, and on securing decisive success in our
efforts to win the fight against poverty and build a moderate-
ly prosperous society in all respects. We must support the co-
ordinated advancement of epidemic prevention and control
and economic and social development, remain committed to
the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring sta-
bility, carry out our duties and functions in accordance with
the law, and strive to make new progress in our work.
Since the start of this year, all work of the Standing Com-
mittee has proceeded in an orderly fashion in accordance
with the Central Committee’s overall plans. In the coming
months, we will focus our efforts on the following main tasks:
First, ensuring full enforcement of the Constitu-
tion. We will see that procedures and mechanisms for in-
terpreting the Constitution are well implemented, and make
progress in constitutional compliance inspection. We will
build up our system and capacity for recording and reviewing
normative documents, rigorously implement the Measures
for Recording and Review of Regulations and Judicial Inter-

ISSUE 2 · 2020 29
SPotlight
pretations, enhance the functions of the national digital plat-
form for recording and reviewing these documents, and take
greater initiative to conduct general reviews and targeted re-
views. We will promote public awareness of the Constitution,
and organize pledges of allegiance to the Constitution and ac-
tivities for National Constitution Day. Remaining committed
to upholding law-based governance in Hong Kong and Ma-
cao, we will work to safeguard constitutional order in the two
special administrative regions as stipulated in China’s Con-
stitution and the basic laws, refine the system for interpreting
the basic laws by the NPC Standing Committee, establish a
sound legal system and effective enforcement mechanisms
at the national level for safeguarding national security in the
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and accelerate
related legislative initiatives. We will maintain our principles
and policies on work related to Taiwan, uphold the one-Chi-
na principle, resolutely oppose and restrict separatist forces
seeking “Taiwan Independence,” and promote the peaceful
development of cross-Strait relations on the basis of the 1992
Consensus.
Second, strengthening legislative work in key ar-
eas. Facing extremely onerous tasks on the legislative agenda
this year, we must balance quality and efficiency, give better
play to the leading role of people’s congresses in legislation,
endeavor to make our legislation more thoughtfully designed
and precisely targeted, and follow through with every piece
of legislation put forward. To promote high-quality develop-
ment, we will formulate the Yangtze River Conservation Law,
the Law on Promoting Rural Vitalization, the Futures Law,
and the Hainan Free Trade Port Law, and revise the Patent
392 deputies to the 13th National People’s Congress attend the eighth study courses in Shanghai from July 5 to 8, 2019. Su Dongyang
30
Law. To improve systems for ensuring people’s wellbeing, we
will prioritize legislation on public health. We will revise the
Law on Animal Epidemic Prevention, the Wildlife Protection
Law, the Law on the Prevention and Control of Infectious
Diseases, the Frontier Health and Quarantine Law, the Emer-
gency Response Law, and the Vocational Education Law, and
formulate the Social Assistance Law the Law on Support for
Veterans. In the realms of national security and social gov-
ernance, we will formulate the Bio-Security Law, the Law on
Protection of Personal Information, and the Data Security
Law, pass Amendment XI to the Criminal Law, and revise
the Administrative Penalty Law, the Law on Administrative
Review, the Public Security Management Penalty Law, and
the Law on the People’s Armed Police Force. To accelerate
the creation of a system of laws for extraterritorial applica-
tion, we will formulate the Export Control Law and revise the
Anti-Money Laundering Law, the Law on the People’s Bank
of China, the Law on Commercial Banks, and the Insurance
Law. To improve the system of institutions through which
the people exercise their role as masters of the country, we
will revise the Organic Law of the NPC, the NPC’s procedural
rules, the Electoral Law, and the National Flag Law. We will
work to effectively publicize and enforce the Civil Code. In
response to the need to deepen reforms on all fronts, we will
ensure that legislative work relating to decisions regarding
authorizations and reforms is well executed. All in all, we will
endeavor to accomplish the major legislative tasks set by the
CPC Central Committee and those with a bearing on overall
economic and social development.
Third, exercising oversight in accordance with the
NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa
law. We will improve oversight systems and mechanisms to
ensure full implementation of the CPC Central Committee’s
decisions and plans and effective enforcement of the Con-
stitution and the law. We have put 29 oversight tasks on our
agenda centered on major Party and state work plans. Fo-
cusing on issues including building a moderately prosperous
society in all respects, making progress in the three critical
battles against poverty, pollution, and potential risk, taking
effective steps to stabilize employment, the financial sector,
foreign trade, foreign investment, domestic investment, and
expectations, and implementing tasks to maintain job secu-
rity, basic living needs, operations of market entities, food
and energy security, stable industrial and supply chains, and
the normal functioning of county-level governments, we will
hear and deliberate 16 work reports on topics such as imple-
mentation of the innovation-driven development strategy,
and further intensify the review and oversight of government
budgets and final accounts and the oversight over the man-
agement of state-owned assets. We will review the decisions
made by the Standing Committee and the enforcement of six
laws, including the Wildlife Protection Law, the Law on the
Prevention and Control of Soil Pollution, the Charity Law,
the Anti-Unfair Competition Law, the Law on Guaranteeing
Public Cultural Services, and the Law on Promoting Agricul-
tural Mechanization. We will conduct special inquiries on
prevention and control of soil pollution and the rectification
of prominent problems discovered through audit, and launch
five research projects on issues including compilation of the
14th Five-Year Plan, activities to foster ethnic unity and prog-
ress, and reform of the social insurance system. Our decisive
success this year in winning the fight against poverty and
building a moderately prosperous society in all respects will
go down in the history of the Chinese nation and the histo-
ry of all humanity. The Standing Committee must focus its
oversight work on these grand strategies, and contribute to
completing the first centenary goal on schedule.
Fourth, supporting deputies in performing their
duties in accordance with the law. We will improve
systems for maintaining contact with deputies, implement
specific measures for strengthening and improving work
related to NPC deputies, and maintain good communication
between the Standing Committee and deputies and be-
tween deputies and the public. We will help deputies pursue
self-improvement, enhance their theoretical competence,
and foster political integrity, so that they can better perform
their duties. We will do a better job at receiving, handling
and giving feedback on proposals and suggestions put for-
ward by deputies, implement mechanisms for responding
to and resolving the issues raised in their suggestions, and
tighten follow-up oversight. We will expand and improve
deputies’ participation in the work of the Standing Com-
mittee, special committees, and working bodies of the NPC
Standing Committee, earnestly solicit their input, and act
on their advice when appropriate. We will coordinate in-
spection and research activities for deputies, and provide
them with more targeted and effective study and training
programs. We will also move faster to establish digital plat-
forms for deputies to perform their duties.
Fifth, actively carrying out work on international
exchanges. We will leverage our unique strengths with re-
gard to foreign exchanges, and serve the overall diplomatic
ISSUE 2 · 2020
On June 28, 2019, the 11th meeting of the Standing Committee of the
13th National People’s Congress (NPC) held a joint inquiry into a report
on the enforcement of the Law on Promotion of Small and Medium-sized
Enterprises. Cai Zhongguang, a deputy to the 13th NPC, asks questions.
Ma Zengke
work of the Party and the state. We will enhance high-level
exchanges, and let NPC special committees, bilateral friend-
ship groups, and working bodies of the Standing Committee
play an active role in international exchanges. We will also
steadily advance mechanism-based exchanges, actively par-
ticipate in multilateral cooperation between parliamentary
bodies, and strengthen exchanges on legislation in the public
health sector, thereby growing China’s relationships with
other countries and boosting pragmatic cooperation across
all fields.
Sixth, enhancing self-improvement of the Stand-
ing Committee. We will consolidate and further the out-
comes of the educational campaign on the theme of staying
true to the Party’s founding mission, and thoroughly study
and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chi-
nese Characteristics for a New Era. We will earnestly execute
the CPC Central Committee’s eight-point decision on conduct
and the detailed rules for its implementation, improve our
conduct in our work, maintain close ties with the people, and
carry out in-depth research. We will refine our deliberation
procedures and working mechanisms. We will step up theo-
retical research on the people’s congress system, and perform
better on press-related work and public communications. We
will give full play to the role of the special committees of the
NPC, and take solid steps to develop its administrative bod-
ies. In the interest of implementing the CPC Central Commit-
tee’s major policies, decisions, and plans, we will strengthen
contact with local people’s congresses and enhance the effec-
tiveness of our work overall.
We are now at the cusp of achieving the goal of building a
moderately prosperous society in all respects, with the bright
prospect of national rejuvenation spurring us forward. Let us
rally closely around the CPC Central Committee with Com-
rade Xi Jinping at its core, unite and forge ahead with great
determination, make diligent efforts to live up to the great
trust that has been placed in us, and work hard to uphold and
improve the system of socialism with Chinese characteris-
tics, modernize China’s governance system and capacity for
governance, achieve the two Centenary Goals, and realize the
Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation!
31
SPotlight
China to advance modernization
of judicial system
By Jiang Zhuqing
P
eople’s courts at various levels in China will fur-
ther advance the modernization of the judicial sys-
tem and its capacity, according to the work report
by the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) submitted on
May 25 to the Third Session of the 13th National People’s
Congress.
Reforms of the judicial accountability system and civil
proceedings will be deepened, said the report, while efforts
will be made to advance the building of smart courts and in-
ternet-based judicial work.
China has pushed forward judicial openness, livestream-
ing 6.96 million court trials, with 23.7 billion views, statistics
showed.
As of April, 91.95 million written judgments had been
published on the official website China Judgments Online
and the judicial process information of about 29 million cas-
es was released online to parties involved, said the report.
The annual work report was given by SPC Chief Justice
Zhou Qiang, and showed how China tackled the most patent
disputes in the world within the shortest trial period. Some
of the cases involved global internet and technology giants,
including Apple, Qualcomm, Huawei and Samsung.
The World Intellectual Property Organization published
judicial cases on intellectual property (IP) rights in China,
showing that it hears the most IP cases, especially patent cas-
es, and that it is one of the countries with the shortest trial
cycle for such cases.
In 2019, Chinese courts concluded a total of 418,000
IP-related cases, giving stronger support to IP rights holders
and enforcing punishments for violators, the report showed.
In addition, courts concluded 12,639 cases related to gang
Zhou Qiang, president of the Supreme People’s Court (SPC), delivers the
SPC work report at the Second Plenary of the Third Session of the 13th
National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on
May 25. Yue Yuewei
32
crimes, involving a total of 83,912 people. Chinese procura-
torial organs prosecuted 30,547 people for organizing, lead-
ing and participating in mafia-style gangs in 2019, up 194.8
percent year on year, said a report by the Supreme People’s
Procuratorate (SPP).
Procuratorial organs across the country prosecuted 11,003
people for crimes such as infringement on trademarks, pat-
ent rights, copyrights and trade secrets, up 32.2 percent year
on year, according to the SPP report.
Moreover, China prosecuted 50,800 people in 2019 for
environment-related crimes, including damaging the envi-
ronment and smuggling waste, up 20.4 percent year on year,
it said.
A total of 69,236 public interest litigations in the environ-
mental domain were handled in 2019, up 16.7 percent, the
SPC report stated.
Moreover, the number of people in China prosecuted for
severe violent crimes, including homicide, rape and arson,
among others, dropped by an average annual rate of 4.8 per-
cent over the past two decades, it said. The figure plummeted
from 162,000 in 1999 to 60,000 in 2019, reflecting China’s
continuously improving public security.
Thanks to a national-level IP court, difficult technical pat-
ent disputes have been solved more quickly and the quality
of case hearings has also improved, Luo Dongchuan, an SPC
vice president, said in an exclusive interview during this
year’s Two Sessions.
The IP court, which was opened in Beijing in January
2019, “has played a bigger role in protecting IP rights and has
provided a solution with Chinese characteristics for handling
complicated patent cases,” Luo said.
Zhang Jun, procurator-general of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate
(SPP), delivers the SPP work report at the Second Plenary of the Third
Session of the 13th National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the
People in Beijing on May 25. Yue Yuewei
NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa
China expects positive GDP growth
despite pandemic impacts
P
remier Li Keqiang said on May 28 that China is
expected to achieve positive economic growth this
year if security in six key areas is ensured.
The six areas refer to job security, basic living
needs, operations of market entities, food and energy securi-
ty, stable industrial and supply chains, and the normal func-
tioning of primary-level governments.
Li highlighted efforts to maintain security in the first three
areas while addressing a news conference after the conclu-
sion of the annual National People’s Congress session.
China has set no specific target for economic growth this
year due to great uncertainties. Instead, it has made practical
plans to ensure more than 9 million new urban jobs, give full
play to over 100 million market entities, and improve peo-
ple’s livelihoods.
Vitality and wellbeing
Not setting a specific GDP growth target does not mean
that economic development is not important, Li said. “Our
decision is designed so that economic development delivers
more real gains to our people and to pursue higher quality
development.”
The policies and measures will provide vital relief to busi-
nesses and revitalize the markets, with a particular focus on
maintaining jobs and protecting people’s livelihoods, as op-
posed to undertaking large infrastructure construction proj-
ects, he said.
“This is due to the fact that major changes have taken
place in China’s economic structure, with consumption be-
coming the primary growth driver and micro, small and me-
dium-sized companies providing over 90 percent of all jobs
in China today,” said the premier.
Li added that money invested in the people will be able to
generate new wealth, help protect and preserve tax sources,
and make public finance more sustainable.
“We will do our utmost to keep China’s economic growth
stable, while at the same time we must ensure that all mea-
sures taken are well calibrated,” he said.
Outmaneuvering difficulties
COVID-19 has taken a heavy toll on the global economy
in a way rarely seen before, Li said. “Since China’s economy
has become deeply integrated into the global economy, it is
simply impossible for it to stay immune to the impact.”
The country will implement targeted measures instead
of massive stimulus to boost economic growth, Li said.
“We have repeatedly said that we will not flush the Chinese
economy with liquidity. We didn’t do it before and we won’t
do it now.”
ISSUE 2 · 2020
Journalists attend a press conference given by Premier Li Keqiang in
Beijing, where he took questions from reporters via video link after the
closing of the Third Session of the 13th National People’s Congress on
May 28. Liu Jinhai
“Just as water is important to fish farming, sufficient li-
quidity is important to economic development,” Li said. “But
excessive liquidity will induce froth in the marketplace where
some people may attempt to muddy the waters and fish for
arbitrage.”
The country reserves policy space on the fiscal, financial
and social security fronts, among others, and is in a strong
position to quickly introduce new measures should the situa-
tion call for it, Li said.
China will be able to fulfill its tasks and goals for the year
and complete the building of a moderately prosperous society
in all respects, he said.
Big open market
Keeping China’s economic fundamentals stable will con-
tribute to the entire world, and the country will remain a pos-
itive force driving global economic recovery and growth, Li
said.
It is impossible for any country to achieve further devel-
opment with its doors closed, therefore, China will keep to its
opening-up policy and will not waver in this commitment, he
said.
In addition, China, a huge market for the world, is pre-
pared to boost imports, Li said, noting that measures to pro-
vide relief and revitalize the market are expected to further
spur consumption.
To facilitate foreign investment, China will further imple-
ment the foreign investment law, shorten the negative list for
foreign investment, further open up the service sector and
improve the business environment.
“We hope that people will stay optimistic about investing
in this big market,” he said. (Xinhua)
33
SPotlight

Journalists attend a press conference given by State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing via video link on May 24. Xing Guangli

Calling for international cooperation

to tide over darkest hours

S
tate Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi un-
derlined the significance of international coopera-
tion and solidarity in fighting COVID-19 on May 25
to tide over the darkest hours.
At a press conference, Wang said that the novel corona-
virus is the common enemy of humanity. “Cooperation and
solidarity are the most powerful weapons to prevail over the
epidemic,” he stressed.
So far, the pandemic has claimed over 300,000 lives and
affected more than 7 billion people in over 210 countries and
regions.
The fight against ‘political virus’
However, the “political virus” created by some politicians
who lose no chance to attack and smear China, is now spread-
ing in the United States, Wang said on the sidelines of the
annual National People’s Congress session.

34 NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa

 Some politicians have ignored basic facts and made up and four international organizations to meet their immediate
countless lies and conspiracy theories concerning China. Such needs. It has exported 56.8 billion masks and 250 million
lies have recently been compiled into a list and posted on the protective suits, among other material assistance.
internet, he added. “China is not a savior, but is willing to be a friend to those
“The longer the list, the more it says about how low the in need and a sincere partner,” Wang said.
rumormongers are willing to go and the more stains they Though the virus is profoundly changing the world, it will
will leave on history,” Wang said. His stern message came not reverse the trend of globalization, nor will it undermine
at a time when some US politicians have launched repeated China’s resolve in advancing international cooperation.
attacks against China’s epidemic response, unjustly blaming Responding to a question on the Belt and Road Initiative
China for their own porous response, and filing unwarranted (BRI), Wang said the impact of COVID-19 on BRI coopera-
lawsuits for so-called compensation. tion is “temporary and limited,” and that it will eventually be
“I want to say here: Don’t waste any more precious time, strengthened.
and don’t ignore lives,” Wang said, expressing sympathy for During the past seven years, China’s goods trade with BRI
the United States, which has the highest number of infections countries surpassed $7.8 trillion and its direct investment in
of all countries. “We sincerely hope that the American people those countries was over $110 billion.
will get over the epidemic as soon as possible,” he said. “By aiming for high-standards, people-centered and sus-
Having claimed so many precious lives, COVID-19 serves tainable progress, we will make the Belt and Road a model
as a stark reminder that countries must rise above differences of development, cooperation and health for all engaged,” he
in geography, race, history, culture and social system, Wang said.
said. “The darkest time will pass, the light is ahead,” Wang said.
(Xinhua)
Joint actions to reboot economy
As the pandemic batters the global economy, China called
for cooperation and communication to mitigate the impact of
COVID-19.
The United States and China should begin coordinating
and communicating about macro-policies as soon as possible
to reduce the impact of the disease on both economies and
the world economy, Wang said.
The global economy is projected to contract by 3 percent
in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, said the IMF in its World
Economic Outlook in mid-April.
Wang called on countries to stand “shoulder to shoulder”
and seek positive cycles of mutual success, dismissing narra-
tives of a “an elimination race” where there is only one win-
ner.
On Sino-Russian relations, Wang said China will stabilize
cooperation in energy and step up collaboration with Russia
in emerging sectors such as e-commerce, biomedicine and
the cloud economy.
Regarding relations with Europe, Wang said the two sides
will explore mutually beneficial cooperation in the areas of
connectivity, environmental protection, the digital economy
and artificial intelligence.
Hailing China-Japan-Republic of Korea cooperation as
a model of virus combat, Wang advocated raising the level
of regional economic cooperation by upholding free trade,
cutting tariffs, opening up markets, and tapping new growth
engines in health, intelligent manufacturing and 5G.
To help countries in Africa tackle the grim situation, China
pledged to reduce debt obligations for African countries and
provide further support to those countries in an extreme pre-
dicament, Wang said.

Confidence and determination

Guided by the notion of “a community with a shared future
for humanity,” China has mounted the largest global humani-
tarian operation in decades.
China has shipped medical supplies to nearly 150 countries

ISSUE 2 · 2020 35
SPotlight
Answering concerns, sharing stories
Corridor interviews during the annual session of the 13th NPC enable
the general public to pick the brains of attendees on national issues
By Lu Yan
B
efore sharing his story during a live broadcast of a
corridor interview at the Great Hall of the People
in Beijing, Luo Jie, a National People’s Congress
(NPC) deputy, had been fighting COVID-19 on the
frontline for months in one of the hardest hit areas in Chi-
na.
The 53-year-old president of Taihe Hospital in Shiyan,
Central China’s Hubei Province, was in Beijing attending the
annual session of the 13th NPC, China’s top legislature, which
opened on May 22.
Drawing on his professional experience, Luo offered
suggestions concerning public health emergency response.
Through arduous efforts, China has attained decisive results
in the fight against COVID-19. Since the novel coronavirus is
extremely dangerous, frontline doctors and nurses went all
out to save every single life, Luo said.
More than 3,600 COVID-19 patients over the age of 80
have recovered in Hubei, seven of whom were centenari-
ans, Luo told reporters. “We value every life with our whole
heart.” He also took the opportunity of the live broadcast to
express his gratitude to those who have helped the people in
Hubei.
“Tens of millions of people in Hubei will never forget the
medical workers who came from across the country to save
Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan gives an interview via video link
after the Second Plenary of the Third Session of the 13th National Peo-
ple’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 25. Jin
Liangkuai
36
lives day and night. We are also grateful for every mask and
every protective suit sent from around the world,” he said.
Luo was among about 3,000 national lawmakers and
2,000 political advisors who gathered in the capital for the
Two Sessions, the annual sessions of the NPC and the Na-
tional Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consulta-
tive Conference (CPPCC), the top political advisory body.
Responding to concerns
Corridor interviews got their name because they usually
take place in corridors leading to the main hall of the Great
Hall of the People before or after plenary meetings of the
NPC and the National Committee of the CPPCC.
Although this year’s Two Sessions were shortened, law-
makers and political advisors still took questions from re-
porters on the sideline of the meetings, mostly via video link
in light of the current COVID-19 epidemic.
Luo was joined by deputies from all walks of life – from
primary-level community workers to janitors to lawyers and
ministers. Their experiences offered a glimpse into how the
country’s lawmakers fulfill their duties as NPC deputies.
This year, six ministers were invited to answer reporters’
questions on public concerns during two corridor interviews
on May 22 and 25.
On foreign trade and capital, Minister of Commerce
Zhong Shan told the press on May 25 that China will beef up
efforts to maintain stable foreign trade and investment as
the COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a heavy blow to the world
economy.
As foreign trade companies have encountered unprece-
dented difficulties caused by COVID-19, Chinese authorities
have supported them with policies in taxation, financing,
insurance, industrial chains and supply chains, Zhong said,
adding that the country will work to energize foreign trade
entities and further improve its business environment.
To ensure stable foreign trade, China will expand its open-
ing up with such efforts as easing market access and shorten-
ing the negative list for foreign investment, Zhong said.
On the development of small and medium enterprises
(SMEs), Minister of Industry and Information Technology
Miao Wei quoted this year’s government work report, noting
that all tax and fee reduction policies must be fully imple-
mented for businesses so that they can sustain themselves
and ensure success in the future.
In response to this year’s epidemic prevention and control
situation, the Central Government has introduced about 90
NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa
 Deputies to the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) are interviewed via video link before the Second Plenary of the Third Session of the 13th
NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 25. Jin Liangkuai
policies on finance, taxation, social security and energy use,
among others, greatly facilitating the development of SMEs
and helping them overcome immediate difficulties, Miao
said.
Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu
vowed that China will not relax its environmental protec-
tion in the next five years. “We will not lower requirements
on ecological and environmental protection in the face of
difficulties, nor will we loosen environmental supervision or
thresholds,” he said. “We will continue to improve ecological
and environmental quality by reducing pollutant emissions
and vigorously promoting ecological protection and resto-
ration,”
Finance Minister Liu Kun said that there’s still room
for the Ministry of Finance to limit government spending,
with Central Government spending further reduced and
non-emergency and discretionary expenditures cut by more
than 50 percent. But he assured that the normal operations
of government organs will not be affected.
“The government should be thrifty and make sure the peo-
ple can live a well-off life,” Liu said, adding that China will in-
crease the scale of its fiscal deficit to provide more subsidies
and tax reductions to the business sector in order to offset the
negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy.
According to official statistics, China’s annual amount of
tax and fee cuts in 2019 totaled 2.36 trillion yuan ($330 bil-
lion). The country aims to reduce the corporate burden by
more than 2.5 trillion yuan ($353 billion) this year, Liu said.
Responsibilities fulfilled
Shi Liping, an NPC deputy of the Miao ethnic group in
Southwest China’s Guizhou Province, has always regarded
the national campaign to fight poverty as her priority con-
cern, especially as China makes its final push toward poverty
ISSUE 2 · 2020
elimination and the completion of building a moderately
prosperous society in all respects by the end of this year
against the backdrop of epidemic prevention and control be-
coming a regular practice.
A folk craftsperson of the traditional Miao embroidery, Shi
said the craft has created jobs for half a million Miao women.
In addition, statistics showed that Guizhou relocated 1.88
million people from inhospitable areas in 2019. “We have
built 100 anti-poverty Miao embroidery workshops in the re-
settlement sites,” Shi said.
NPC deputy Zhu Guoping, a community worker in Shang-
hai, shared her experience of getting local residents involved
in contributing to law revision. “I made my cellphone number
public to the residents and led my colleagues on door-to-door
visits to listen to their voices and help them solve problems,”
Zhu said in front of the camera.
According to Zhu, her community has participated in the
revision of 35 laws, including laws on domestic violence and
protection of minors, with 610 opinions provided.
During China’s annual legislative session, national law-
makers deliberated on a draft civil code, which was later
approved and is expected to further improve China’s basic
legal system and rules of conduct in the civil and commercial
fields. In addition to a general provision and a supplementary
provision, the 1,260-article draft has six parts on property,
contracts, personality rights, marriage and family, inheri-
tance and tort liabilities.
The draft was prepared after extensive suggestions were
solicited from the public. Xiao Shengfang, an NPC deputy
and head of the Guangdong Lawyers Association, made 170
suggestions on revisions since 2014, when the decision to
compile the civil code was announced.
Considered “an encyclopedia on social life,” the civil code
concerns every aspect of people’s lives, Xiao said. “I’m glad
that some of my suggestions were accepted.”
37
NAtioNAl SeCurity legiSlAtioN
Law on safeguarding national
security in Hong Kong adopted
C
hinese lawmakers voted on June 30 to adopt the
Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safe-
guarding National Security in the Hong Kong Spe-
cial Administrative Region (HKSAR).
The law was passed unanimously at the 20th session
of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People’s
Congress (NPC). President Xi Jinping signed a presidential
order to promulgate the law, which went into effect on the
same day.
With 66 articles divided into six chapters, the law clearly
defines the duties and government bodies of the HKSAR
for safeguarding national security. It also outlines four cat-
egories of offenses, namely secession, subversion, terrorist
activities and collusion with a foreign country or external
forces to endanger national security, and their correspond-
ing penalties.
According to the law, the Central Government will set up
38
an office in the HKSAR for safeguarding national security.
The HKSAR will establish a committee for safeguarding
national security, which is under the supervision of and ac-
countable to the Central Government. The committee, to be
chaired by the HKSAR chief executive, will have a national
security adviser designated by the Central Government. The
Hong Kong police force will also set up a department for
safeguarding national security, according to the law.
After the law was passed, the NPC Standing Committee
consulted with its HKSAR Basic Law Committee and the
HKSAR government and adopted by a unanimous vote on
the afternoon of June 30, a decision to list the law in Annex
III of the HKSAR Basic Law.
The newly-adopted decision stipulates that the law shall
be applied locally in the HKSAR by way of promulgation by
the region. The law went into effect in Hong Kong at 11:00
pm on June 30, upon its promulgation by the HKSAR gov-
NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa
 ernment in the gazette.
HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam said in a statement
that the HKSAR government welcomes the passage of the
law. “I am confident that after the implementation of the
national security law, the social unrest which has troubled
the people of Hong Kong for nearly a year will be eased and
stability will be restored, thereby enabling Hong Kong to
start anew, focus on economic development and improve
people’s livelihood,” she said.

Wide support
The law came after prolonged social unrest and escalat-
ing street violence plunged Hong Kong into the gravest sit-
uation since its return to the motherland in 1997. Rampant
activities carried out by “Hong Kong independence” organi-
zations and violent radicals as well as blatant interference
by external forces have disrupted Hong Kong residents’
daily life and threatened their safety.
Addressing the closing meeting of the NPC Standing
Committee session, Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC
Standing Committee, said the unanimous passage of the
law and the decision reflected the common will of the Chi-
nese people including Hong Kong compatriots.
Stressing that national security, social stability and the

“I am confident that, the social un-

rest which has troubled the people of
Hong Kong for nearly a year will be
eased and stability will be restored,”

Night view of Victoria

Harbor in Hong Kong,
South China on June
12. Wang Shen

Hong Kong resi-

dents celebrate the
passage of the Law
on Safeguarding
National Security in
the Hong Kong Spe-
cial Administrative
Region at Causeway
Bay, Hong Kong in
South China on June
30. Wang Shen

ISSUE 2 · 2020 39
NAtioNAl SeCurity legiSlAtioN
The National People’s Congress voted on June 30 to pass the law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong
Kong Special Administrative Region. Liu Weibing
order of the rule of law are the premises for the develop-
ment of Hong Kong, Li said the legislation represents the
aspirations of the people and an irresistible trend of the
times.
The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State
Council voiced firm support for the law in a statement, call-
ing it a “milestone” event that will usher in a turning point
for Hong Kong to end chaos and bring back order.
In a separate statement, the Liaison Office of the Central
People’s Government in the HKSAR said the promulgation
and implementation of the law on the occasion of the 23rd
anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland is an
event worth celebrating for all Chinese people, including
Hong Kong compatriots.
Nearly 2.93 million Hong Kong residents signed a peti-
tion earlier in support of the national security legislation
during an eight-day campaign that began on May 24.
Sword and guardian
The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State
Council said in its statement that for a tiny number of peo-
ple endangering national security, the law will be a “sharp
sword” hanging over their heads.
But for the vast majority of Hong Kong residents, includ-
ing foreigners, the law will be a “guardian” that protects
40
“The social unrest which has
troubled the people of Hong Kong
for nearly a year will be eased and
stability will be restored,”
their rights, freedom and peaceful life, said the office.
According to the law, people convicted of national secu-
rity crimes could face up to life imprisonment. Convicted
criminals will be disqualified from running for public office,
while people in public office who are found guilty of nation-
al security crimes will be removed from their posts.
The law will apply to acts committed after it goes into
force for the purpose of conviction and imposition of pun-
ishment, according to its provisions.
Upon promulgation, the law will resolutely and effec-
tively safeguard national security and ensure that the One
Country, Two Systems cause is steered in the right direc-
tion, said top legislator Li Zhanshu.
The law will vigorously uphold the constitutional order
and the order of the rule of law in the HKSAR, forestall and
deter external interference, and safeguard Hong Kong’s
fundamental, long-term and current interests, he said.
(Xinhua)
NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa
 NPC adopts decision to create national security law for Hong Kong
China adopted Hong Kong national security laws after a relat-
ed decision was adopted during the national legislature session
on May 28. The decision allows the Central Government’s nation-
al security organs to set up agencies in Hong Kong as needed.
Deputies to the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) voted
overwhelmingly to approve the decision at the closing meeting
of the NPC annual session. Rounds of applause erupted in the
Great Hall of the People in Beijing when the decision was passed.
The NPC Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal
System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (HKSAR) to Safeguard National Security
consists of an introduction and seven articles.
The decision was made to safeguard national sovereignty,
security and development interests, uphold and improve the One
Country, Two Systems policy, safeguard Hong Kong’s long-term
prosperity and stability, and guarantee the legitimate rights and
interests of Hong Kong residents, the introduction states.
Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, said
the decision “serves the fundamental interests of all Chinese
people including Hong Kong compatriots.”
HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam welcomed the move and
said the HKSAR government will fully cooperate with the NPC
Standing Committee to complete relevant legislation as soon as
possible.
National security like air
The legislative move came after prolonged social unrest and
escalating street violence plunged Hong Kong into the gravest
situation since its return to the motherland in 1997.
Hong Kong witnessed rampant activities carried out by “Hong
Kong independence” organizations and violent radicals as well as
blatant interference by external forces.
Presenting the draft to the NPC, senior legislator Wang Chen
said increased notable national security risks in Hong Kong have
become a prominent problem.
There are apparent “weak links” in Hong Kong’s existing legal
system and enforcement mechanisms in safeguarding national
security, said Wang, Vice Chairman of the NPC Standing Commit-
tee.
Efforts must be made at the state level to establish and
improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the
HKSAR to safeguard national security, he said.
“National security is like air. Without it, no one can survive,”
said Witman Hung, an NPC deputy from the HKSAR. “The NPC
decision comes at the right time.”
Purview of central authorities
Alan Hoo, Chairman of the Basic Law Institute in Hong Kong,
said national security legislation is a state legislative power
whether a country has a unitary or federal system. National se-
curity laws can be found in both common law and continental law
systems. Hong Kong, he said, cannot remain unguarded.
In an online article on the issue, Secretary for Justice of the
HKSAR government Teresa Cheng said national security is a
matter of national interest that concerns the whole population of
China and falls squarely within the purview of the central authori-
ties.
Cheng stressed that it is fundamental to recognize that the
ISSUE 2 · 2020
central authorities hold the ultimate responsibility for national
security in all local administrative regions.
Tiny number of ‘troublemakers’ targeted
The decision states that the country will prevent, stop and
punish acts and activities endangering national security. The
country will also resolutely oppose the interference in Hong Kong
affairs by any foreign or external forces in any form and will take
necessary countermeasures.
Tam Yiu-chung, a member of the NPC Standing Committee,
said the legislation does not target ordinary Hong Kong residents
but “a tiny number” of people suspected of endangering national
security.
Illegal activities particularly mentioned include splitting the
country, subverting state power, organizing and carrying out ter-
rorist activities, as well as foreign and external forces interfering
in Hong Kong affairs.
The law-based freedom of speech, freedom of the press,
freedom of assembly enjoyed by Hong Kong residents will not be
disturbed, their daily lives will not be affected, and their property
will continue to be protected, Tam said.
One Country, Two Systems unchanged
Under One Country, Two Systems, Hong Kong, as a special
administrative region of China, has a high degree of autonomy
and retains its own capitalist system and lifestyle.
Speaking to the press after the legislative session, Chinese
Premier Li Keqiang said One Country, Two Systems is China’s
basic state policy and the decision is designed for its steady
implementation.
Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority Eddie
Yue said the legislation will not bring any change to the funda-
mentals of Hong Kong’s monetary and financial system.
The free flow of capital and free convertibility of the Hong
Kong dollar will continue to be safeguarded by the Basic Law of
the HKSAR, Yue said.
In addition, the legislation will not change Hong Kong’s legal
system. “Under the Basic Law, judicial independence is guar-
anteed, and this will continue as before,” said Grenville Cross,
former director of public prosecutions of Hong Kong. (Xinhua)
The Third Session of the 13th National People’s Congress opens
in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 22. Liu Weibing
41
NAtioNAl SeCurity legiSlAtioN
One Country, Two Systems policy safeguards
Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability
NPC Legislative Affairs Commission spokesperson elaborates
on the HKSAR national security law
By Jiang Zhuqing
C
hina’s top lawmakers voted unanimously to en-
act a draft law to safeguard national security in
the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
(HKSAR) at the 20th session of the 13th National
People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee on June 30.
President Xi Jinping signed a presidential order issuing
the law.
The decision was made at a three-day session of China’s
top legislature, which emphasized improving the legal sys-
tem and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR, while
maintaining its high degree of autonomy under the principle
of One Country, Two Systems.
The legislation, which defines the specific criminal activi-
ties that threaten national security, is reasonable, necessary
and in line with the Constitution, according to some Hong
Kong deputies to the NPC. It is also justified because its
political and legal legitimacy can stand the test of time, and
won’t change the way people live in Hong Kong or deprive
the legitimate rights they enjoy under the One Country, Two
Systems policy and the Basic Law, observers said.
The law was included in the Annex III of the Basic Law of
the HKSAR, took effect on June 30 at 11:00 pm and gives de-
tailed descriptions of four categories of crimes and penalties,
namely acts of secession, subversion of state power, terrorist
activities and collusion with foreign or external forces to
endanger national security, with a maximum penalty of life
imprisonment.
Under the law, the Central Government will establish a
National Security Office in HKSAR to deal with national se-
curity affairs. The office will have ultimate juridical power,
the “final say” on national security-related cases and absolute
law enforcement power during times of urgency and necessi-
ty.
The legislation serves as a guardian of prosperity and sta-
bility in Hong Kong by plugging loopholes in its legal system,
said Shen Chunyao, director of the Legislative Affairs Com-
mission of the NPC Standing Committee, at a press confer-
ence on July 1.
“The law can effectively protect national security, and
prevent and punish crimes that endanger national security
in relation to the HKSAR,” said Shen. “It effectively stops the
loopholes in the HKSAR in relation to establishing a frame-
work to protect national security.”
42
The legislation serves as a guardian
of prosperity and stability in Hong
Kong by plugging loopholes in its le-
gal system.
Upholding One Country, Two Systems
Enforcement of the law is of far-reaching significance to
upholding and improving the One Country, Two Systems pol-
icy, Shen noted, adding that it is also important to ensure na-
tional sovereignty and security, as well as Hong Kong’s long-
term stability and prosperity.
Officials said the law is an important step in taking cor-
rective action regarding the unrest in the HKSAR, dismissing
allegations from some countries that insist on interfering in
China’s internal affairs.
The law is a landmark for upholding and improving the
institutional framework of the One Country, Two Systems
under new circumstances. It will effectively safeguard nation-
al security, lasting peace, stability and prosperity in Hong
Kong, and ensure the steady and sustained development of
the cause of the One Country, Two Systems in Hong Kong.
Central Government’s jurisdiction
Judicial independence means that judges are not subject
to any interference while hearing cases, but the jurisdiction
and trial rights of the courts will be subject to review, said
Zhang Yong, a vice director of the Legislative Affairs Com-
mission, at a symposium held in Hong Kong on June 23, in
response to a question about whether the national security
law affects judicial independence.
Hong Kong’s capability and means to maintain national
security are limited, particularly when it comes to foreign or
external forces, as well as complex factors such as national
defense, Zhang said. In some cases only the Central Govern-
ment has the power and the capability to manage this, so it is
necessary for it to retain jurisdiction to prevent serious con-
sequences due to Hong Kong local government’s inability to
perform its duties.
NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa

Hong Kong residents sing the national anthem at The Peak Galleria. Wu Xiaochu
If Hong Kong effectively assumes its responsibility for
maintaining national security, there is no need for the Cen-
tral Government to exercise its jurisdiction, he added.
The Central Government reserves the right of jurisdiction
to avoid unrest that endangers the country, and it is up to
the NPC Standing Committee to decide on the most extreme
circumstances where a state of emergency may be declared in
Hong Kong, Zhang said.
Regarding the disputes over trials by judges in national se-
curity cases, Zhang said that many judges in Hong Kong have
foreign passports and that there is no one-size-fits-all ban on
these judges on hearing such cases. It will take into account
the actual situation in Hong Kong, while at the same time the
appointment of judges to handle national security cases by
the chief executive will avoid the dual loyalty of the judges
and will not affect judicial independence.
Such a legal arrangement mirrors the Central Govern-
ment’s respect for Hong Kong’s common law system. The
legislation, which does not seek to punish those who have
previously uttered questionable words and conducted sepa-
ratist deeds, shows the Central Government’s thoughtful con-
sideration Hong Kong. Observers believe the arrangement
will reassure and encourage local residents to look forward
rather than getting stuck in the past.
Any judge who has endangered national security through
words and deeds shall not hear cases related to national se-
curity, the law notes. And the appointment of a designated
judge shall be terminated if he or she is involved in acts and
speeches that endanger national security. Judges appointed
to handle national security cases have a one-year tenure.
Trials shall be conducted in public, according to the law,
however if it is inappropriate for public hearings in cases
involving state secrets or public order, the press and the pub-
lic will be prohibited from observing all or part of the pro-
ceedings, but decisions shall be announced publicly, the law
states.
ISSUE 2 · 2020
The law is already proving to be a powerful
deterrent, leading some infamous secessionist
leaders in Hong Kong such as Joshua Wong,
Nathan Law and Agnes Chow to announce
their withdrawal from their anti-government
group hours before the legislation was official-
ly enacted. Demosisto, an organization found-
ed in 2016 to conduct secessionist work, also
announced it was disbanding its headquarters
and members in Hong Kong.
During the annual sessions of the NPC
and the National Committee of the Chinese
People’s Political Consultative Conference,
the top political advisory body, held in May,
many national lawmakers and political advi-
sors proposed that the NPC Standing Com-
mittee formulate relevant laws for the HKSAR
to safeguard national security in accordance
with the new law as soon as possible, advance
relevant institutional building and ensure the
effective implementation of relevant laws in
the HKSAR.
The decision adopted by China’s top legis-
lature on the national security law for Hong
Kong fully embodies the aspirations of NPC
deputies, said Zang Tiewei, a spokesperson of the Legislative
Affairs Commission, on May 28.
It also reflects the common will and fundamental interests
of the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, including Hong
Kong compatriots, he added.
“The decision is significant in upholding and improving
the One Country, Two Systems institutional policy, safe-
guarding national sovereignty, security and development
interests, maintaining Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity
and stability, as well as protecting the legitimate rights and
interests of Hong Kong compatriots,” Zang said. He urged all
state organs, localities and sectors, including the HKSAR, to
earnestly implement the law.
“Moving forward, the NPC Standing Committee will do
its job to develop relevant legislation, unswervingly imple-
ment the requirements and spirit of China’s Constitution, the
Basic Law of the HKSAR and the NPC decision, and ensure
the steady and enduring growth of the cause of One Country,
Two Systems,” he added.
Rebuilding trust
The law states that the Committee for Safeguarding the
National Security of the HKSAR, led by the Chief Executive
of the HKSAR government, will not be within the scope of ju-
ridical review, while no organization, institution or personnel
will interfere in its work, which will remain undisclosed.
The law established by China’s top authority is deemed a
state act, which can’t be constrained by local laws in Hong
Kong. Similarly, local authorities in Hong Kong do not have
jurisdiction over Central Government agencies and can’t le-
gally challenge them, according to experts.
However, local legislation in the HKSAR requires those
who take part in election campaigns in the region to take an
oath of allegiance to the HKSAR and the Basic Law, which is
further clarified in the new law.
43
dePutieS

Doctors on the frontline of the COVID-19

battle bring proposals to Two Sessions
By Yuan Yuan

Z
hang Wei has fought two difficult battles in her
career as a doctor. In 2003, she was selected to
lead a team to combat the severe acute respirato-
ry syndrome (SARS) in her hometown in Jiangxi
Province in East China. Seventeen years later, she again
served as the leader of a team of specialists fighting the
novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the province.
President of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Uni-
versity in Jiangxi, Zhang is also a deputy to the National Peo-
ple’s Congress (NPC). “This pandemic is more severe than
the SARS one in 2003,” Zhang said. “But our country is more
experienced this time in dealing with these situations.”
Deputies from the frontline of the battle were ready with
their prevention and control proposals.
Acting quickly
When the Wuhan Center for Disease Control and Pre-
vention in Hubei Province in central China detected cases
of pneumonia of unknown cause in late December 2019, the
National Health Commission (NHC) sent a working group
and an expert team to the city to evaluate the response and
conduct onsite investigations on December 31.
Two days later, the NHC came up with a set of guidelines
on early detection, diagnosis and quarantine for the preven-
tion and control of the viral pneumonia.
For Zhang, her previous experience with SARS made her
more alert to the situation. In early January, she organized
a team of experts at the hospital and after the NHC unveiled
the first set of guidelines, launched an emergency plan for
prevention and control.
She also submitted more than 10 suggestions to the prov-
ince including setting up designated hospitals at provincial,
prefectural and county levels. She recommended that for pa-
tients with severe symptoms, hospitals tailor treatment plans
to each patient’s condition and organize a medical team to
monitor them. All her suggestions were adopted.
In addition, she submitted five suggestions to the NPC,
including setting up public healthcare clinical centers and
enhancing the combination of treatment and nursing care.
“After going through SARS and COVID-19, every province,
municipality and region should set up a public healthcare
clinical center,” Zhang said. “It can
help us explore abnormal symptoms
in advance and get ready ahead of
time.”
Public healthcare clinical centers
can both serve during epidemics and
normal times. “They perform func-
tions such as infectious disease diag-
nosis and treatment, public health ed-
ucation and medical material reserve,”
Zhang said. “During an epidemic, they
can carry out emergency treatment
and scientific research.”

Taking precautions
Hu Yu, president of Wuhan Union
Hospital affiliated with the Tongji
Medical College of Huazhong Univer-
sity of Science and Technology, had
many similar ideas after fighting on
the frontline for over 50 days.
In a provincial capital like Wuhan,
Zhang Wei (first from left), president of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University in Jiangxi
Province and deputy to the National People’s Congress, talks with a discharged patient outside the there were not enough infectious dis-
hospital on January 27. Peng Zhaozhi ease hospitals to deal with the magni-

44 NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa

tude of the outbreak. Wuhan Union Hospital took the lead by
opening a 24-hour fever outpatient service, since fever detec-
tion is an important part of screening for infectious diseases.
On its first day, it received about 50 patients, but the number
increased rapidly in the following days, creating long lines
and extremely crowded conditions on a daily basis.
The hospital had to expand the area fivefold, and even
then, it was still overloaded. At the peak of the epidemic, it
received nearly 1,000 patients a day. The isolation ward also
had to be expanded from one floor to three, yet still the num-
ber of beds couldn’t meet the demand of the surging amount
of confirmed cases.
“In the initial stage of the epidemic, we took some time to
adapt ourselves to the situation,” Hu said. He proposed that
some hospitals enhance their technical force to treat patients
with severe symptoms and strengthen the construction of
comprehensive intensive care units. The extreme shortage
of materials in the early stage also indicated that some ad-
justments need to be made in advance and preparedness for
epidemic control is vital.
Hu suggested that hospitals set up branches in suburban
areas which can receive patients with infectious diseases in
emergency cases. Wuhan Union adjusted its construction
design for a new branch in suburban Wuhan, which is now
under construction. A new building specifically for infectious
diseases has been added, thus the branch can better cope
with future emergencies.
In addition, makeshift hospitals played an important role
in accepting patients with minor symptoms, which gave Hu
more inspiration. “Since venues such as stadiums were not
designed for this purpose, in the beginning it took time to
modify their functions to meet the medical demand,” he said.
“In the future, stadiums and classrooms can take this into
consideration when designing their layout.”
Hu has also shared his experiences and ideas with peers
in foreign countries on video conferences. “Our country
gives top priority to people’s lives and covering medical
costs for every patient,” he said. “The government has also
adopted a series of measures to ensure all these efforts are
consolidated.”
On March 5, the Communist Party of China Central Com-
mittee and the State Council unveiled a guideline on deep-
ening the reform of the insurance system. The goal of the
reform is to set up a medical security system by 2030 that
centers on basic medical insurance and is underpinned by
medical aid.
A notice released by the NHC on May 13 included some
of the rehabilitation therapies, including psychological treat-
ment, in the chronic and idiopathic disease medical insur-
ance catalog. As of May 20, many provinces had announced
they would include nucleic acid test in medical insurance.
Creating resources
Yang Linhua, a deputy to the NPC and a doctor with the
Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, said there
are many opportunities for improvement through training.
She said official figures showed that at the end of 2018, the
number of certified doctors for every 1,000 people was 2.59
on average, while in developed countries the number is more
than four.
ISSUE 2 · 2020
The shortage was felt even more deeply during the epi-
demic. “Some of our doctors were sent to support Wuhan,
some were sent to support other hospitals in our province,”
Yang said. “Only a third of the doctors remained in our hospi-
tal.” Educational institutions are responding to the problem.
This year, Shanxi Medical University is planning to enroll
more postgraduate students to boost the number of future
doctors.
Moreover, patients with other diseases were unable to get
regular treatment, especially people with chronic diseases,
while medical staff was sent elsewhere. “We should also make
allowances for these patients to ensure they get timely treat-
ment,” Yang added.
In 2019, she set up a training base for rural doctors in
Wuxiang County, Changzhi in Shanxi. During the epidemic,
Yang and over 100 of these doctors launched medical services
via WeChat, helping many locals with medical issues.
In 2012, Shanxi set up a remote consultation center at the
Second Hospital, which played a key role in offering services
to patients that couldn’t manage to get to the hospital during
the epidemic.
Currently, many hospitals in China have remote consul-
tation centers, but some haven’t played their due role. Yang
suggested the NHC take more measures to activate these cen-
ters to benefit more people.
“Facilities in many hospitals have been updated but have
not been put into full use,” Xie said. “The cultivation of talent
is of utmost importance now.” (Beijing Review)
9,180 proposals handled by nearly 200
units with 9 priority topics
Deputies to the Third Session of the 13th National Peo-
ple’s Congress (NPC), China’s national legislature, submit-
ted a record high 9,180 proposals, according to data made
public June 9.
A total of 472 proposals were on reforming the health-
care system, while the number of proposals on epidemic
prevention registered a 179-percent increase from last year,
according to a meeting held on the handling of proposals,
criticisms and opinions put forward by national lawmakers.
Wang Chen, a member of the Political Bureau of the
Communist Party of China Central Committee and vice
chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, urged everyone
to follow a people-centered approach in handling the pro-
posals, while addressing the meeting.
He lauded the high-quality proposals submitted by law-
makers and stressed the need to translate these proposals
into concrete measures for deepening reform and advanc-
ing development.
The proposals will be handled by nearly 200 state
organs and relevant departments. The NPC Standing
Committee has set nine preliminarily priority topics, which
are categorized into four aspects including improving the
national public health emergency management system,
and coordinating epidemic control and economic and social
development. (Xinhua)
45
FoCuS
Immediately stop interfering
in China’s internal affairs
Top legislature strongly condemns US signing of
bill on Xinjiang
The Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s
Congress, on June 18 strongly condemned and resolutely
opposed the signing of the so-called “Uygur Human Rights
Policy Act of 2020” by the United States in disregard of stern
representations from China.
The US move has grossly interfered in China’s internal
affairs and seriously violated international law and the basic
norms governing international relations, the committee said
in a statement.
To respect and protect human rights is an important prin-
ciple set forth in China’s Constitution and an important goal
of China’s endeavors to build a moderately prosperous soci-
ety in all respects, according to the statement.
From 1990 to the end of 2016, thousands of terrorist at-
tacks were launched in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,
Northwest China, causing substantial losses of innocent lives
and damages of property, the statement noted.
The measures China has adopted to counter terrorism
and extremism, including setting up vocational education
and training centers, are in line with Chinese laws and the
international community’s shared expectations for counter-
terrorism, the statement said.
Over the past more than three years, not a single case of
terrorist attack occurred in Xinjiang, which has, to the great-
est extent, protected the rights to life of the 25 million people
of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, it noted.
“This is the best embodiment of respecting human rights,
which has been endorsed by the Chinese people and widely
supported by the international community,” said the state-
ment.
In the name of human rights, however, the United States
has maliciously attacked China’s counterterrorism and de-
radicalization efforts, attempting to destroy the favorable
situation of stability and development in Xinjiang, according
to the statement.
“It is a typical double standard on counterterrorism,” it
said.
Xinjiang affairs are part of China’s internal affairs that
brook no external interference, the statement said.
“We urge the US side to immediately stop its interference
in China’s internal affairs and its wrongdoings that have se-
riously damaged China-US relations,” it said. (Xinhua)
A sweet potato field near a desert in Shache County in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Northwest China on May 22. Ma Kai
46
NPC Foreign Affairs Committee rejects EU resolu-
tion linked to national security law
Spokesman of the National People’s Congress Foreign Af-
fairs Committee on June 20 strongly condemns and objects a
resolution adopted on June 19 by the European Parliament.
The resolution calls for the European Union to bring Chi-
na to the International Court of Justice in The Hague over
China’s decision to legislate a national security law for the
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
You Wenze, spokesman of the National People’s Congress
Foreign Affairs Committee, said the resolution seriously
distorted the facts and blatantly intervened in Hong Kong af-
fairs, which are China’s internal affairs, under the pretext of
protecting “human rights” and “Hong Kong’s high degree of
autonomy”.
Since the unrest in Hong Kong in June last year, triggered
by the amendment of the extradition bill, violent terrorist
activities have been escalating, severely trampling the rule of
law, social order, prosperity and stability, as well as the “One
Country, Two Systems” principle in the region, You said.
In view of the grim situation faced by Hong Kong in safe-
guarding national security, the NPC Standing Committee,
which is the country’s highest legislation, has the right to
establish and improve Hong Kong’s legal system and enforce-
ment mechanism to maintain national security from the state
level, he said.
It aims to further improve the region’s legal system, ensure
the stability of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle and
maintain Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity, he added.
You said national security is closely related to sovereignty
and territorial integrity and therefore is of the Central Gov-
ernment’s concern in any country. China taking necessary
measures to safeguard national security in accordance with
the Constitution and Hong Kong Basic Law is part of the
country’s internal affairs and is in line with the Central Gov-
ernment’s policy toward Hong Kong.
The legislation only targets very few acts that seriously en-
danger national security and will protect the legitimate rights
and interests enjoyed by Hong Kong people. It will not re-
strict their human rights and freedoms or harm the region’s
high autonomy or “One Country, Two Systems” principle.
(China Daily)
NatioNal PeoPle’s CoNgress of ChiNa
The Great Hall of the People, May 27. Xing Guangli
ISSUE 2 · 2020 47